Member III
What battery powered chainsaws are you referencing?
I gave up on electrics years ago because I could not find one worth its weight.
Fallen trees on the trail
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I gave up on electrics years ago because I could not find one worth its weight.
Batteries have improved just a wee bit over the last few years.
I have been playing around with a new Milwaukee 18V battery powered chainsaw. I am impressed. I think it would do a great job clearing downed trees off the trail. To that end I have even purchased a 12V cigarette lighter powered charger for the batteries.
The only place I have found this chainsaw to be substantially limited compared to my gas saws is on rip cuts. Those are harder work and a faster drain on the batteries. But for cross cuts, with their associated pauses between cuts, this saw gets a lot of work done on one battery.
I have been playing around with a new Milwaukee 18V battery powered chainsaw. I am impressed. I think it would do a great job clearing downed trees off the trail. To that end I have even purchased a 12V cigarette lighter powered charger for the batteries.
The only place I have found this chainsaw to be substantially limited compared to my gas saws is on rip cuts. Those are harder work and a faster drain on the batteries. But for cross cuts, with their associated pauses between cuts, this saw gets a lot of work done on one battery.
Milwaukee is on the top of the list as is Stihl. We have even used an 80v Kobalt, Lowe’s store brand, that perform excellent. I have a gas stihl for use if I’m going to do hours of cutting. I switched when I saw the pros using them up in the bucket topping off trees. Even the power company here are using them.
Member III
Yep, I've got the DeWalt 20v, it only comes with a 12" bar but the Oregon 14" bar and chain is a $19 upgrade and with 5ah batteries the saw will RIP!
living in Vegas don't really get the chance to use it for clearing trails too much. It's more for cutting red oak smoking wood for cooking meat yum yum
Member III
The only one of the electric options I would be interested in would be one of the Ryobi One+ compatible ones. I have a TON of their tools and a bunch of batteries and chargers from Ryobi. Does anyone have any experience with their chainsaw options? The last few times I have used my saw they have been pretty big trees. A lot of the small stuff I just push off the trail with my bull bar. No point in installing one without using it, right?
Member III
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Battery powered saw is on my list. I dislike 2stroke saws. Sometimes they're the tool for the job but nearly all of the cutting I do is light duty and handled by my electric chain saw plugged into my inverter.
FWIW I work in a city fire department in the Dallas area. We're currently evaluating switching nearly all of our gas powered tools like chainsaws, ventilation fans ect over to Battery. Most of our gas powered extraction tools (jaws of life for instance) have been replaced with lithium battery powered units. So now instead of getting on scene, setting up a gas hydraulic power unit, running hydraulic hoses and being tethered by those we grab the self contained unit push a button and are ready to go with enough battery life in one charge to remove all the doors, cut the roof off and still have capacity left over.
Battery operated equipment has come a long way from what it used to be for sure.
No personal experience but I've seen a few promising videos on the Youtubes.
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For what we're talking about here I'm sure the Ryobi would be great. Pack a couple spare batteries and some bar oil and go have fun!
madcratebuilder
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I have a 24V lith batt saw that works great and has long life, there are new models up tp 80V. They are not going to replace a 24" gas saw but handle most of what you find on the trail.
Advocate III
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Mine was a wal-mart model, cost $35 - 28 years ago. Use to cut railroad ties and juniper tree fire wood all the time.
It was still good enough 6 years ago that someone stole it. Finally replaced it with a gas model that dosent cut any better than that little electric model did.
Advocate III
It doesn't matter what you drive ... It also doesn't matter what saw you use, so long as it cuts!
Explorer I
This is what I was looking for! Already have M18 tools and batteries and wondered if an electric would cut it. ;) Thanks!
My buddy brought his Dewalt cordless blower last time we were out. Fantastic! Dusted off trucks, ATVs, started fires, cleaned stuff before packing. It was a hit.
before
after.... cut to lengths for firewood for the next guy thru.... most wood stoves take 16" lengths so cut to 16/32/48 inch lengths which also makes them easy to move and stack by hand.
Around here, no one goes into the bush overnight without a chainsaw.
The windstorm last night knocked out power for 6 hours.
After 40 years of gaz chainsaws, I sold mine and will be buying a cordless electric this spring.
The e-power options just keep getting better.
I'll be sticking with Husky since they have the full yard system, chainsaw, mower, whipper thing, hedge trimmer all off the same battery. I also use Millwakie 12v and 18v for work but the Husky or Stihl choices are better yard tools.
after.... cut to lengths for firewood for the next guy thru.... most wood stoves take 16" lengths so cut to 16/32/48 inch lengths which also makes them easy to move and stack by hand.
Around here, no one goes into the bush overnight without a chainsaw.
The windstorm last night knocked out power for 6 hours.
After 40 years of gaz chainsaws, I sold mine and will be buying a cordless electric this spring.
The e-power options just keep getting better.
I'll be sticking with Husky since they have the full yard system, chainsaw, mower, whipper thing, hedge trimmer all off the same battery. I also use Millwakie 12v and 18v for work but the Husky or Stihl choices are better yard tools.
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There is likely no one to reach out to. You need to be independent, self sufficient, that is what overlanding is all about.... but before you buy the most dangerous power tool invented, take a chainsaw operators course.
my favorite chainsaw video..... hot saw competitions
not only fast, they are only given 6" of log to get 3 discs out of.
not only fast, they are only given 6" of log to get 3 discs out of.
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Too bad we can't have det cord.
Explorer I
One of the gentlemen who introduced me to overlanding (we called it car camping) ran the logger’s show at the local county fair; what times we had watching the absolute mastery of those loggers. RIP brother.
Member III
Just channel your inner Paul bunion or hulk and just toss that log off the trail
Member III
I never even knew there was such a thing. The way I grew up our chainsaw operator course was if we had long enough arms to crank it!
